2026-10-31
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Puzzle guide
Full breakdown using the Analytical breakdown format — word list, path analysis, and strategy notes.
Overview
LinkedIn Wend #145 is the LinkedIn Wend daily for October 31, 2026. Wend is LinkedIn's word-finding game: drag through adjacent letters on a 7×7 grid to spell 5 hidden words (4, 5, 8, 9, and 10 letters each). Every letter is used exactly once. This page includes the live board, a solved-board view, and a step-by-step Solution walkthrough. Difficulty: Hard. Estimated solve time: 6–10 min. Read the explainer sections below for strategy, or jump straight into play.
Answer
This board hides 5 words: "MASK", "GHOST", "MISCHIEF", "CHOCOLATE", "FLASHLIGHT".
The longest word is FLASHLIGHT — solve it first, then work through the remaining paths in recommended order.
Analysis
LinkedIn Wend #145 is a 7×7 Wend board hiding 5 words ("MASK", "GHOST", "MISCHIEF", "CHOCOLATE", and "FLASHLIGHT"). Path analysis starts with grid geometry: 36 playable letters must partition into non-overlapping snakes.
"FLASHLIGHT" (10 letters) is the anchor. Starts at row 7, column 7 (corner), then runs one cell north, then one cell west, then one cell north, then one cell east, then one cell north, then one cell west, then 3 cells north. A zigzag path with multiple turns — harder to guess without tracing letter by letter. Starts in a corner — fewer adjacent options often mean a clearer first letter to test.
"CHOCOLATE" removes 9 cells; 17 letters remain for 3 words. Path shape: zigzag.
"MISCHIEF" removes 8 cells; 9 letters remain for 2 words. Path shape: snake.
"GHOST" removes 5 cells; 4 letters remain for 1 word. Path shape: uTurn.
The final word "MASK" consumes the last 4 cells. After this path, the partition is complete — no orphan letters.
Full partition: "MASK", "GHOST", "MISCHIEF", "CHOCOLATE", and "FLASHLIGHT" on a 7×7 board. All 36 playable letters belong to exactly 5 words (MASK, GHOST, MISCHIEF, CHOCOLATE, FLASHLIGHT). No letter is shared between paths, and every cell with a letter is used. This is a rare-letter anchor layout — A rare letter (Q, X, Z, J, or K) anchors at least one word. Uncommon letters usually belong to a single path — scan for them before guessing long routes through the center.
Words
Path
Starts at row 7, column 7 (corner), then runs one cell north, then one cell west, then one cell north, then one cell east, then one cell north, then one cell west, then 3 cells north.
A zigzag path with multiple turns — harder to guess without tracing letter by letter. Starts in a corner — fewer adjacent options often mean a clearer first letter to test.
Solving note
Anchor word: Start here — "FLASHLIGHT" claims 10 cells and defines the rest of the partition.
Path
Starts at row 5, column 3 (interior), then runs one cell north, then 2 cells west, then one cell south, then one cell east, then one cell south, then one cell west, then one cell south.
A zigzag path with multiple turns — harder to guess without tracing letter by letter.
Solving note
Territory claim: After prior locks, 26 cells were open; this word consumes 9.
Path
Starts at row 1, column 5 (edge), then runs one cell west, then 3 cells south, then one cell east, then one cell south, then one cell west.
The path crosses the grid center, consuming territory that would block multiple shorter words. The snake spans three or more quadrants of the board — a high-impact route to place early. A snaking path with multiple turns — harder to guess without tracing letter by letter. Starts on an edge — edge starts reduce the number of possible directions.
Solving note
Bridge path: After prior locks, 17 cells were open; this word consumes 8.
Path
Starts at row 7, column 3 (edge), then runs one cell north, then 2 cells east, then one cell south.
A U-turn path that doubles back — watch for cells that look available but belong to this word. Starts on an edge — edge starts reduce the number of possible directions.
Solving note
Gap filler: After prior locks, 9 cells were open; this word consumes 5.
Path
Starts at row 3, column 2 (interior), then runs 2 cells north, then one cell east.
Contains rare letter K — usually a strong anchor for this word's path. An L-shaped path with one turn — common for medium-length words along two edges.
Solving note
Partition lock: "MASK" is the final 4-letter path — verify no unused cells remain.
Verification
Longest-first ordering ("FLASHLIGHT" (10), then "CHOCOLATE" (9), then "MISCHIEF" (8), then "GHOST" (5), then "MASK" (4)) minimizes dead-end paths on this 7×7 board. "FLASHLIGHT" removes the most cells in one trace — 10 letters — leaving 26 for the remaining words. Shorter words after that often have only one legal path through leftover clusters.
Solve path
Step 1: Lock "FLASHLIGHT" (10 letters) first — Starts at row 7, column 7 (corner), then runs one cell north, then one cell west, then one cell north, then one cell east, then one cell north, then one cell west, then 3 cells north. 26 playable letters remain. Step 2: Place "CHOCOLATE" (9 letters). 17 letters left in 3 words. Step 3: Place "MISCHIEF" (8 letters). 9 letters left in 2 words. Step 4: Place "GHOST" (5 letters). 4 letters left in 1 word. Step 5: Finish with "MASK" — the last 4-letter path. Every letter on the board is now accounted for.
Pattern
A rare letter (Q, X, Z, J, or K) anchors at least one word. Uncommon letters usually belong to a single path — scan for them before guessing long routes through the center.
All 36 playable letters belong to exactly 5 words (MASK, GHOST, MISCHIEF, CHOCOLATE, FLASHLIGHT). No letter is shared between paths, and every cell with a letter is used.
Learn more in Wend Puzzle Strategies →Takeaways
On LinkedIn Wend #145, the 10-letter word "FLASHLIGHT" is the highest-impact path. A zigzag path with multiple turns — harder to guess without tracing letter by letter. Starts in a corner — fewer adjacent options often mean a clearer first letter to test. Locking it exposes how "CHOCOLATE", "MISCHIEF", "GHOST", "MASK" must fit.
A rare letter (Q, X, Z, J, or K) anchors at least one word. Uncommon letters usually belong to a single path — scan for them before guessing long routes through the center.
After all 5 words, every playable cell should belong to exactly one path. All 36 playable letters belong to exactly 5 words (MASK, GHOST, MISCHIEF, CHOCOLATE, FLASHLIGHT). No letter is shared between paths, and every cell with a letter is used. If a letter looks orphaned, a path is wrong — reset and try a different long-word route.
Solution
This Wend puzzle hides MASK, GHOST, MISCHIEF, CHOCOLATE, and FLASHLIGHT on a 7×7 board. Each word is spelled by connecting horizontally or vertically adjacent cells — no diagonals, no reusing letters, and no overlapping paths. Word lengths run from 4 to 10 letters; recommended solve order (longest first): FLASHLIGHT, CHOCOLATE, MISCHIEF, GHOST, and MASK. Start with "FLASHLIGHT" — the 10-letter anchor — then fill shorter paths through remaining letter clusters. A rare letter (Q, X, Z, J, or K) anchors at least one word. Uncommon letters usually belong to a single path — scan for them before guessing long routes through the center. Use the Solution tab above for an interactive word-by-word walkthrough with live paths on the grid, or the Solved board tab for the complete answer at a glance.
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